Hi.
Thank you for joining me today.
I'm Susan Guttridge and I'm going to share with you a practice for tuning the heart.
Personally,
I'm not very musically inclined,
But I do know from watching my relatives who are,
That before a musician begins to play,
They often take a moment to tune their instrument.
This might not always be because it's off-key,
But rather because even a slight adjustment can bring everything back into harmony.
This practice is an opportunity to do something similar with yourself.
To gently tune the heart,
Cultivating compassion and care for yourself,
For those around you,
And for the wider world as well.
If it feels okay.
Bring your attention just to the area of your heart.
You might place a hand there as a way to deepen sense of connection and awareness.
As you breathe in,
Imagine your breath flowing with ease into the space around your heart.
And as you breathe out,
Simply allow yourself to soften.
Notice if your breath becomes even just a little more deeper.
A little slower.
Maybe a little more rhythmic.
And just breathing like that at a pace that feels right for you.
Could you invite into your mind a memory?
A time recently when you felt appreciation,
Care.
Or compassion.
Or if it feels easier today.
Perhaps connect with an intention of kindness.
Just something simple.
What memory or moment comes to mind.
As you linger with this feeling of appreciation.
Of care,
Of compassion.
Or intention of kindness.
Can you notice what shifts in your body?
You could scan from the top of your head all the way down to your toes.
And you know it is.
Anywhere that feels warm.
Softening.
Spaciousness.
Or a sense of settling.
Can you allow this quality to spread through you,
Reaching every part of your body?
Like sunlight.
To leave warming the earth.
After a cool morning.
Allowing this warmth to touch into any places in your body.
That could use a little bit more care today.
And when you feel ready.
Allow this quality to gently expand beyond you.
First into the room around you.
Than to include the other people in your life.
And when you're ready.
Allow this quality to gently expand beyond you.
First into the room around you.
Enveloping the people in your life.
Perhaps sending it outward to someone who is struggling.
Someone facing uncertainty.
Someone who could benefit from.
A little more compassion and care.
And if it feels right,
Allow that circle of your care and compassion to widen even further.
To envelop your community.
Country.
Even our whole world.
Simply resting with the understanding that Our care naturally extends beyond us.
Breathing in.
Through the heart.
Allowing yourself to feel connected.
To something larger.
The whole community and country and world around you.
And as we start to near the end of our practice today.
Could you consider one quality?
You would like to carry forward into the rest of your day.
Repeat that quality to yourself.
You could even take a moment after this to write it down and then to trace it with your finger again and again.
Perhaps if there's something difficult waiting for you today,
You could take a moment to tune your heart before stepping into it.
And noticing what shifts,
How your body feels,
What becomes available to you from this steadier place.
Thank you for taking this time for yourself today.
May you carry this quality of care and compassion.
Into your day ahead.
Be well.
